Compound for preserving fruit



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. CUTLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COMPOUND FOR PRESERVING FRUIT, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,804, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filed October 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. CUTLER, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Compound for the Preservation of Fruits, Meats, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Myimprovement relates to the chemical compound used in the production of the gases employed in treating the articles to be preserved.

This compound consists of sulphur, four parts; biborate of soda, one part; nitrate of potash, one. These are mixed together in a metallic dish or pan, and are ignited by placing over a fire, and when ignited are placed on a shelf within a case near the top. The biborate of soda is a powerful antiseptic, and in my compound it plays an .important part from this cause. The nitrate of potash supplies oxygen to the burning compound, and thus prolongs the combustion and the consequent elimination of sulphurous and boracicacid gas.

In carrying out my improvements I prefer to use a case or receptacle which sh all be water and air tight, and provided with drawers, shelves, or other conveniences, on which the articles may be placed. The chemicals are laid upon a tray or other convenience in such case and burned, so that the fumes or gas from such burning chemicals may circulate around the articles to be preserved. Said case, it is also preferred, shall have, at or near the bottom, a tank for the reception of water, which shall be impregnated with the chemicals or their fumes, and in which water articles may be immersed or soaked for preservation. This liquid may be sufficiently impregnated by burning two trays of the chemicals, allowing one hour for the combustion of each.

In the preservation of eggs each egg is placed in a separate aperture of an open-bottomed drawer, and the eggs are subjected to theprocess for one hour, when they may be taken out and packed away for keeping.

I do not here make any claim to a case such as abo e described, as I purpose making the same the subject of a separate application for patent.

Large articles, such as meats, 850., should be subjected to the action of the gas for a period of from ten to fourteen hours.

Larger fruits or vegetables are sliced and spread thinly in drawers. They are subjected to the process for about thirty minutes, and then taken out and put into vessels, and soon form a sufficiency of juice, and will keep for any length of time.

I claim as my invention The combustible antiseptic compound herein described, composed of sulphur, biborate of soda, and nitrate of potash, combined in about the proportions named.

GEORGE A. CUTLER.

In presence of- SAML. KNIGHT, ROBERT Bonus. 

